7 days ago5 min read

Studio News - January 2025

Early layers of an abstract painting on a workbench in pink and yellow

Easing gently into 2025?

Sounds like a perfect way to start the year.......

That was the plan.

In fact I considered not even writing a January newsletter as I thought things would be so quiet I'd have nothing to share!

How wrong can you be?

On the up side, work has been heading off to upcoming exhibitions and new paintings have been underway in the studio which has kept me energized, motivated and beavering away every day; so much so that the festive break barely registered a blip on my radar.

On the downside though, all the regular podcasters and radio hosts, that I listen to whilst I'm working, took a break so I was a bit a lost as to what to listen to in the studio. But then I stumbled into 'Audible' and a treasure trove of books on every topic imaginable, including 'The Creative Act' by Rick Rubin.

Of all the insights and thoughts he shares about being an artist there were several ideas that resonated so strongly I felt bound to reflect on them, as I feel already they will guide my own thoughts in the coming months.

Being an artist is 'a way of being in the world', a way of engaging with it and responding to it. It is all encompassing in our every waking moment and it's how we travel through the world and absorb information from it. Being an artist is not a just a job title we give ourselves, it's at the core of our existence.
When we are engaged in the creative act, the only thing that ever truly matters is the work and ensuring that it becomes the best it can be at that moment in time. The fact that other people may one day look upon it or ignore it, or buy it or reject it, or have some kind of opinion about it has no relevance to the actual making of the art. It's purely about the work and what the artist needs to do to fulfill the potential within the work itself.

Rubin sees each new work as a diary entry of where the artist is at, at any given moment in time. Paintings have gone before and more paintings will come after. There is no 'stopping'. Evolution of an artists work is as essential to our existence as evolution is in any other kind of context, such as we might find in the natural world.

As I reflect on the last couple of months of 2024 I realise that my current work is in this evolutionary phase.

As an artist I am acutely aware of my 'journey of evolution', perhaps because each painting is a visual manifestation of some kind of progression along this road; each piece might include a new thought or idea, a change in perspective, or demonstrate a shifting desire to explore new colours, shapes, processes or themes.

My mind is always moving on, and as a result so is my art.

Standing still with the same thoughts, making the same painting again and again is not an option for me, for now anyway!

My latest pieces feel experimental, not so much in their execution, but in the purpose behind them; which was to move further into abstraction, explore different compositional ideas and harness shapes from earlier work and re-imagine them in some way.

My time with abstracted landscapes has morphed into something new, which isn't fully settled in my mind, but these works are important none the less as they are my most recent 'diary entries' and are stepping stones along this evolutionary road.

So I'll continue on with my 'way of being' in 2025 and await the 'diary entries' that flow from it.

Abstract shapes collage and painting in orange and green — The Listeners - Strangeland Series - Mixed Media on Board.

Small works art prize 2025 on a gallery wall with paintings behind

Brunswick Street Gallery is excited to welcome you to the 2025 Small Works Art Prize, Australia's largest open-call art prize for artworks measuring 35x35x35cm or less!

This year the prize features the work of over 660 artists practicing throughout Australia and beyond, with more than 900 artworks on display! As a result, the exhibition collection is as diverse as it is expansive, featuring hundreds of artworks encompassing all artistic disciplines including painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, weaving and more.

Whether you are an artist, an art collector or just an art lover, this is an event not to be missed!

Level 1 & 2, 322 Brunswick Street, Wurundjeri Country, Fitzroy, Melbourne.

The gallery is open:

Tue–Sat 10am–5pmSun 11am–4pmClosed Mondays

small abstract landscape painting in pink and blue framed on a white wall — *Mountain Secrets - Wayfinder Series - Mixed Media on Board.*

My little painting has found it's way through the holiday postal traffic to join the show.

Luke and Maetreyii Deacon are stepping into 2025 with the launch of the Noosa Art Gallery, and I'm excited to have been invited to join their inaugural exhibition along with fellow local artists Trevor Purvis, Saren Dobkins, Bronwyn Barton and Beatrice Prost, to name a few!

Join us for the opening night celebrations with jazz and complimentary drinks and nibbles - everyone welcome!

Get your free tickets to opening night here

Hidden Gems title in green on a starry night background

abstract landscape painting in green and pink, framed on a white wall — Flourish - Latent Series - Mixed Media on Board.

The Royal Queensland Art Society presents this diverse exhibition at the Petrie Terrace Gallery in Brisbane, opening on Thursday 23rd January.

This members show includes work across all genres, styles and mediums and is sure to be a treasure trove of creations.

'Flourish' will be on show at the gallery as part of this exhibition.

The gallery is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10am – 3.30pm.

There's still time to catch 'Eclectica' at the Cooroy Butter Factory Arts Centre before it closes on January 12th, it's a fabulous members show, beautifully curated by the gallery team and volunteers. I couldn't resist sharing a few favourites; it's not to be missed.

Thanks to all involved for putting the show together!

various artworks hanging in a gallery space

2D Artworks by Beatrice Prost, Pam Miller, Amanda Butel, Dale Leach, and Bronwyn Barton; ceramics by Maria Brown and sculptures by Roslyn Holt and Kath Melzer.

So until next month, enjoy the joyous journey of being an artist, and experiment away!